Hiking across Haiti

This past week was a short break from our main projects and involved the scheduled hiking trip across Haiti as well as some work with two psychologists from Duke focusing on PTSD and stress relief. The beginning of the week was spent up in the mountains at this amazing mountain villa owned by Jean Marc and his wife Varaina, extraordinarily nice people involved in a pharmaceutical industry and friends of David and Kathy Walmer through their medical clinics. The drive up provided some breathtaking views of the mountains settled under stormy clouds, but none of those sights compared to the views available from the mountain villa itself. Their land was extensive and consisted of so many beautiful stone or rock paths along the mountain side connecting to gorgeous gardens or a gazebo or their cousins magnificent house right next door. We also stumbled across a hot-tub overlooking an edge and a trampoline on the side of the mountain! However it was hard not to be constantly reminded of the stark disparity of wealth when looking down to port-au-prince away from the base of the mountains, but according to Jean Marc it’s a reality you have to live with (not sure to what extent I believe that). Yet spending time there in the cool breezy mountain weather was definitely a great relaxing break to preface the hike.

part of the mountain villa

the garden along the path from his house to cousins

sunset view

trampoline on side of mountain!!

the view from the room Sedlin and I stayed in.

We could just sleep with the doors open and wake up to beautiful sunrise

On Tuesday we completed a strenuous 5 hr or so hike uphill to a mountaintop and then through the pine forests to arrive at a cabin outside of Seguin where we’d spend the night, most of us sleeping in tents. We trekked along dirt paths and broken up roads devoid of cars/trucks and more often populated with farmers and donkeys carrying crop loads. It was our first experience with rural mountainous Haiti and it was so peaceful and serene. The next morning we started a taxing 6 hr hike downhill to Jacmel, with more beautiful sights accompanied unfortunately with a steady increase in temperature. At times it seemed like we could have been in Switzerland with lush green fields, and then at other times in the Amazon jungles with an environment of overgrowing plants and vines and chirping birds, waterfalls and other nature sounds.

group pic!

views along the hike

you can see our group as we struggle up while local farmers carrying huge bags and wearing just flipflops whiz past us

star tripping! I had no idea what this was until we did it but basically we went out at night and one person in the circle would look up at the stars and spin around several times until someone with a flashlight yelled stop and then would shine that light in the spinning persons eyes. And they would immediately just fall over sometimes screaming as they did. Funniest thing ever
we could also just stargaze at the thousands of stars thanks to the complete darkness and zero light pollution

beginning the hike down to Jacmel

Beach at Jacmel. perfect water temp for swimming

Later in the week we were introduced to Ben and Cindy Reese, psychologists from Duke on a short trip here to continue some sessions on PTSD and relaxation that they started last year. We accompanied them on their day trip to the mountain village of Fondwa where they received an attendance of roughly 110 people! To whom they taught understanding of emotions, thoughts and behaviors and techniques to reduce stress. I thought the sessions were great and it was interesting seeing peoples different responses; some full of gratitude and eagerness to learn, while others asking how they can even try to be stress-free when they are without basic amenities such as a house to live in. Just shows how when delivering aid you really have to start from the ground up and ensure most fundamental needs are met before advancing.

Ben and Cindy conducting their stress relief session in Fondwa